Nearly half of prospective buyers set on visiting showroom in next two weeks, says What Car?

Almost 50 per cent of prospective buyers are looking to visit their local showroom in the next fortnight.

That’s according to What Car? which surveyed 3,031 keen buyers after dealerships reopened in England and Wales.

It found that 29 per cent of them were looking to visit a showroom ‘as soon as I can’, while 17 per cent  expected to go within one to two weeks.

What Car? said that meant nearly half of all in-market buyers were set to go to a showroom in the next fortnight.

There’s more good news for dealers, too – 42 per cent of those going to a dealer intended buying a car.

Meanwhile, a third will be test-driving a car they’re interested in, and 12 per cent are looking to negotiate a price or finance package.

What Car? said 59 per cent of buyers had said it was ‘very important’ for showrooms to reopen, as they wouldn’t buy a car without a visit first.

Only six per cent felt that showrooms reopening wasn’t important to them.

Buyers also said they were comfortable visiting their local showroom, with a whopping 96 per cent trusting dealerships to be Covid-safe.

What Car? managing director Rachael Prasher said: ‘The past few weeks have seen consumer activity pick up in the market, and our latest research shows buyers are now set to return to showrooms in significant numbers.

‘With consumer trust in dealers high, and a high percentage looking to purchase a car or test-drive a vehicle, this is an ideal start for the industry as it looks to recover from the effects of the pandemic.’

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